Stage for theaters and the like



Feb. 7, 1933. c. VlTOLO 1,896,652

STAGE FOR THEATERS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct'. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l W 3 {5 M /5 /4 v 6 I lll /5 Mull. 75)

IN EN TOR. CAR/WW5 /7'0LO (an WK ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 7, 1933. c VITQLO 1,896,652

I STAGE FOR THEATERS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CAP/7W5 .l l TOL 0 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED' STATES (2AIEt]!l1I1\'l'lll VITOLO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAGE non 'rnnarnas AND THE LIKE Application filed October 16, 19 31.

The invention relates to stages for theaters and other auditoriums and has for its object to provide a novel and improved arrangement whereby scene shifting necessary to the fects. Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of a stage embodying the novel features; Fig; 2 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating an addi' tional feature of the invention.

The novel features of theinvention have been illustrated as embodied in a stage for a theater in which plays, spectacles and the like 0 are commonly produced; it is to be under,-

stood that the novel arrangement is equally well adapted for embodimentin stages and platforms of other types, and that the'illustrated example, while it may comprise a preferred embodiment, is not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention. I

The stage itself is indicated by the reference character '5 (Fig. 3), and includes the customary horizontally arranged floor 6 (Fig. 1) and such other features as dressing rooms and other devices which commonly form part of the customary stage equipment and which form no part of the present invention. The arrangementfurther includes an opening 7 facing the front of the stage and.

of relatively restricteddimensions with respect thereto, as'shown in Figs. 1 and 2; in the illustrated example, this opening is defined by upright walls 8 located in proximity to, or at, the front edge of the stage 5, and

Serial N0. 569,256.

a connecting wall 9 shaped to give the opening 7 the form of the customary proscenium arch. In its preferred form, the front of the stage is inwardly curved to provide a recess for the accommodation of the orchestra pit 10,and at least some of the seats 11 for the audience, additional seats 12 being arranged, for instance, as indicated in Fig. 1; in such case, the walls 8 and 9 are curved to conform to the curve of the stage, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The novel arrangement further includes means on the stage defining a curved pathwaythereon, which extends across said openmg 7 and behind the walls8. As illustrated in the drawings, this path defining means comprises a guideway or trough 13 countersunk in the floor 6, so as to lie flush therewith and'curved in parallelism with the curves of the walls 8 and the curve of the stage 5.

As shown in Fig. 1, the aforesaid path definlng means is located in close proxlmity to the front curved edge of the stage 5 and closely behind the opening 7 and the walls 8, and consists of a plurality of guideways or troughs 13 and 13a arrangedin contiguous relation to each other. The guideways" or troughs 13 and 13a are adapted to movably accommodate scenic or other devices necessary to the purpose for which the stage is being used, said devices being movable relatively to said guideways or troughs 13 and 13a into and out of registry with the opening 7. The said scenic devices may comprise stage sections or carriers 14 and 1411 on which scenery sections 15 are mounted in any suitable or conventional manner, as indicated, for instance, in Figs. 1 and 2; the stage sections 14 and 14a conform to the curves of the guideways or troughs l3 and 130;, while the scenery sections 15 are correspondingly curved and are of such character as to complete the scene or scenes which it is intended to portray on the stage. The stage sections 14 and 14a are mounted in the guideways or troughs. 13 and 13a so as to liesubstantially flush with the floor 6 of the stage 5, and are preferably supported upon rollers 16'orthe like to facilitate the travel of said stage sections 14 and 14a in the guideways or troughs 13 and 13a respectively. 7 The aforesaid pathway defin- 109 ing means further includes a guideway or track 17 supported on the wall 9 at the rear thereof and conforming to the curve of said wall, said guideway 17 accommodating travelling carriages 18 from which the curtain 0r curtain sections 19 depend, so as to be movable into and out of registry with the opening 7.

In the arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 1, each of the guideways or troughs 13 and 13a accommodate two stage sections 1% and 14a respectively, the setting as illustrated in Fig. 1 showing a stage section 14a in the guideway or trough 13a in registry with the opening 7, so that the scenery section 15 mounted on said stage section 1% is visible to the audience through the opening 7. In order to avoid an unexposed portion of the trough 13 in front of the trough 13a and "visible through the opening 7 and to prevent undesirable spaces between the walls 8 and the aforesaid scenery section 15, which might tend to spoil the effect of the scene being portrayed, the two stage sections 14 in the guideway or trough 13 are moved to the positions indicated in Fig. 1. in which the one stage section 14; completes the floor of the stage and scenery sections 15 carried thereby and by the other stage section let in said trough or guideway 13 constitute wings to complete the setting. It will be obvious that in many combinations of scenery, one scene may be set upon the stage sections 14: or 140, behind the walls 8, while a preceding scene is exposed to view through the opening 7. The shifting of scenery and the changing of scenes is thus greatly facilitated and stage waits between scenes or between acts of a play may thus be cut to a minimum. The inwardly curved form of the stage to provide a recess for the accommodation of seats for the audience provides a stage of maximum area without decreasing the seating capacity of the auditorium of which the stage forms a part. The curved arrangement of the path defining means, such as the guideways or troughs, makes it possible further to quickly shift scenery into and out of registry with the opening 7, and at the same time provides a maximum of space in which the stage hands may perform their duties. The arrangement further provides for unobstructed vision through the opening 7 from all parts of the auditorium, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In some instances, one or the other of the guideways 13 or 13a may be utilized to accommodate a container 20 containing a supply of water to produce different stage effects in which, for instance. a body of water or a fountain or some other similar device plays a part. The container 20 may be brought into and out of registry with the opening 7 by being slidably shifted in the guideway 13 or 13a or by being placed therein in proper position and lifted therefrom when no longer required. ith the arrangement set forth, the curtain or curtain sections 19 may be likewise easily propelled into and out of registry with the opening 7 by simply shifting the carriers 18 along the guideway 17 by any suitable means. The novel stage construction makes it possible to group the scenery in combinations to provide the most cffectiveand natural appearances and to close; ly approximate the scenes intended to be depicted, all of this being possible with a minimum of labor and in minimum spaces of time.

The curved form of the guideways 13 and 13a or their equivalent, furthermore, provide an increased length available for the shifting and other manipulating of scenery and other stage devices, in a much less space than if said guideways were straight.

It will of course be understood that where the stage sections let and 14a are movable in the guideways 1.3 and 13a, the shifting of these sections may be accomplished manually or mechanically by means of suitable mechanism.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A theater comprising a stage floor and a seating floor, a pair of separated walls concave with respect to said seating floor defining and outlining said stage opening on said stage floor, and, a plurality of concentric and movably mounted annular scenery supporting floor elements arranged behind said walls and adapted to be moved at will into view into the separation between said stage opening defining walls.

2. The combination of a stage having an inwardly curved front to provide a recess for the accommodation of seats for the audience, walls curved in accordance with the curve of said stage and spaced apart to form an opening facing the front thereof, a plurality of tracks on said stage curved in parallelism with the curve thereof extending across said opening and behind said walls, and carriers for scenery and the like movable along said tracks into and out of registry with said opening.

3. A theater, auditorium or the like comprising a seating floor, a stage floor, said stage floor having semi-circular troughs therein, said troughs being concave with respect to said seating floor, separated walls between the seating and stage floors preventing the view of said troughs except for the separation between the walls, and, annular stage elements slidably arranged with said troughs in such a way that they may be slid from behind one wall to the Viewable portion of said troughs and from that position to and behind said other wall.

4. A theater or the like comprising a seating floor, a stage floor, separated walls for defining the stage opening on said stage floor, said stage floor having an annular trough therein, said trough being concave with respect to said seating floor and extend ing across the stage floor substantially behind said walls defining said stage opening,

and, an annular stage fioor element movably arranged within said trough whereby it may be moved from behind one wall to the portion ofsaid trough included between said separated walls, and from that position behind said other wall.

5. The combination of a stage having an inwardly curved front to provide a recess for the accommodation of seats for the audience, walls curved in accordance with the curve of said stage and spaced apart to form an opening facing the front thereof, and a plurality of troughs on said stage curved in parallelism with the curve of said stage, said troughs extending across said opening and behind said walls, and being adapted to movably accommodate scenic devices necessary to tile purpose for which the stage is being use 6. The combination of a stage having an inwardly curved front to provide a recess for the accommodation of seats for the audience, walls curved in accordance with the curve of said stage and spaced apart to form an opening facing the front thereof, a'plurality of contiguous troughs on said stage flush with the floor thereof and curved in parallelism with the curve of said stage, said troughs extending across said opening and behind said walls, and carriers for scenery and the like movable in said troughs in flush relation to said stage floor into and out of registry with said opening.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CARMINE VITOLO. 

